What you put in impacts your end product. Not just in cooking, but in life also. So let's make it heavenly!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Greenhouse - Perth

It's not often that I get to go out to lunch anymore. We're down to one sleep a day, and that lunchtime sleep is absolutely essential. By 5pm if there hasn't been any sleeping we so know about it!

So being with my parents is a real treat - built in babysitters!

My lunch buddy, Sarah

And I had an added excuse for going out to lunch - a very chance meeting of my English bestie and I in Perth. Double yay!

Greenhouse has been on my 'to do' list for a little while. I walked past this very temporary and odd looking corrugated iron building on St Georges Terrace, in the centre of the Perth CBD last May. I was intrigued. It bears no relation to any of the other very corporate buildings in Perth's main st, and looks more like an art installation. The pots are flourishing, and once you realise it's a restaurant you know that they must be serving up something a little different.

Apart from standing out, Greenhouse has been written about extensively in the Aussie foodie press, not something that happens much to Perth restaurants. Here's Not Quite Nigella's review of Greenhouse.
Sydney also hosted a 'pop up' Greenhouse (by Joost) restaurant for 8 weeks in February and March this year which also got rave reviews.

The idea is that the place is carbon neutral - so they use recycled materials as much as possible, and the entire structure has been put up with the thought that it could be dismantled and moved, if necessary. The top of the building includes a vegetable garden, and the whole menu is very seasonal and local. The sustainable core idea doesn't feel new - but then you realise that in a restaurant of this size it is very involved, and lots of work- and they had done an amazing job.

Enjoying my first glass of Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc

The bar complete with hanging bottles

Halloumi, beetroot and poached wheat salad

This salad was gorgeous. Anything with halloumi is a big yes for me, but this combination worked perfectly.

Artichoke & cauliflower pizza

We enjoyed the pizza, not sure it was a standout though.

Ocean trout, jewelled cauliflower couscous with lemon

This was the dish that our lovely waitress recommended, and she was on the money - our dish of the day, lightly cooked trout with explosions of flavour throughout the couscous base.

Tucking in!

Liquid centre chocolate & cardamon cake with double cream

Nice dessert, but maybe not as oozy and delicious as we had hoped. Our liquid centre wasn't liquid, and in hindsight we probably could have sent it back. Loved the cardamon through the cake though.

Fresh mint tea

The front door

The coffee queue

Overall, a fun foodie experience. Definitely head there if you are spending a few days in Perth.
Like nothing I've ever done before. We had a lovely time - thanks Sarah for the girlie lunch. Wish we could do it more frequently!

I went to the GReenhouse about a year ago and loved it (lots of gluten free options plus very helpful chefs)! The atmosphere on a busy thursday night was great, and I love that young chefs and retaurant owners are thinking about the impact that their loves make on the environment. Hope you enjoyed catching up with your girlfriend as much as me and my friend did there!

About Me

I'm a foodie, inquisitive home cook, new mummy to a toddler and also a nutrition student. I get recipes from anywhere and everywhere, from old recipe books, to magazines, newspapers, blogs, study materials and celebrity chefs.
My blog endeavours to explore the beauty of ingredients via recipes. Sometimes uncovering new ones, at other times unearthing more about the trusty favourites.
Foods that make me very happy are (in no particular order): scallops, real croissants, eggplant/aubergine baked, halloumi, scandanavian jam, sourdough, rhubarb with anything, ginger, dark chocolate, Campos coffee, fresh pasta and jamón ibérico.
enough already!